She smiles. “Got it.” Mimes locking her lips with a key. “I’ll just be over at the register if you need anything, George.”
She says my name like it’s downright scandalous. Then she scurries off again. Great.
I walk the aisles of the store. It seems they sell a little of anything and everything. Those sweatshirts I saw(I chooseI LoVermonteven thoughI’d Tap Thathas a hood), groceries, basic office supplies, fishing gear, and an incredible variety of maple syrup and maple syrup-related products (sugar, candy,soap, some kind of local beer). Then, I round a corner, and there it is… a French freaking press in all its unassuming glory. Oh, thank God. I’ll be able to brew real coffee. Maybe now I’ll be able to get some work done.
I grab a can of grounds, some canned soup and boxes of mac & cheese, a few other groceries, and a hunting cap with fur-lined earflaps, and a very frilly satin eye maskI hope will block out the sun from that damn skylight. Then I head to the checkout.
Where Ruth waits for me.
She rings me up. I apologetically shuffle into my new clothes on the spot – it is a little awkward, and I’m sure I look ridiculous, but no way in hell am I going out there without adding on these new layers first.
“You give my love to Owen, now,” she says as I pick up my bags and prepare to head out again.
I sigh. “Ruth,really?—”
She pats my gloved hand. “I know, I know. You’re not together.”
“Right. Well, it was nice to meet you.”
“You too,George…” She winks as I head out the door.
CHAPTER 14
OWEN
I’m exhaustedby the time I push the elevator button to bring me back up to George’s apartment. It’s been an… unusual day following Zoe’s list. Now all I can think about is the stack of takeout menus on the kitchen counter and the cushy leather couch in the living room.
“Oh, hello!” The doors slide open to reveal an older, dark-skinned man in a very colorful button-down exiting the neighbor’s apartment with a bag of trash. He flashes a conspiratorial grin. “Watch out, she’s in there!”
“I’m sorry?” I pull out my keys.
“Zoe! She’s waiting in there, and she looks like she meansbusiness. Oh, sorry, I’m Raj. I think you met my husband last night.”
The man shifts the bag and holds out a hand. I shake it. “Oh, sure. Owen. Nice to meet you.”
Raj looks me up and down and smiles at me. “Marty was right. You are cute.”
Before I can eventhinkabout how to respond to that, Raj goes off toward the trash chute, whistling. I shake my head and bite back a laugh, heat creeping up my cheeks. Well, at least I have the seal of approval from the gentlemen next door.
I stick my key in the first lock?—
“Be careful in there. She’s a wily one.” Raj calls over his shoulder.
Don’t I know it.
I let myself in and am immediately greeted by the sight of Zoe stretched out on the sofa, feet on the coffee table, enjoying what appears to be a full-on cocktail, complete with a paper umbrella she must have dug up from somewhere.
“Owie!!!” she squeals, jumping up to throw her arms around me.
“Zowen…” I say in a gentle teasing tone, wrapping her up in a hug and sinking into it. Zoe is trouble with a capital Z, but I love her more than words. Being with her feels like coming home.
“So…” she singsongs when she pulls back to have a better look at me, “how was your day….?”
Howwasmy day? Bizarre? Random? She kept me busy with a seemingly endless list of perplexing activities. Visiting a small, out-of-the-way bookstore. Having lunch in a pub, which requiredthree trains to get to (and which was only okay). Walking herfriend’sdog—but only in a specific park, even though we passed another two on the way.
I don’t get it. But maybe she’s just trying to keep me so busyI don’t have time to think about anything else. At least I’ve pretty much mastered the subway system after crisscrossing the city all day.
“Interesting. It was interesting.”
